Klopp though has assured the 24-year-old he will be given an opportunity at some point; it’s just difficult with the likes of Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi, not to mention Roberto Firmino, ahead of him in the pecking order.

“Danny is working hard and good, but the situation is like it is, we have a lot of strikers,” Klopp told FourFourTwo before tonight’s EFL Cup clash with Derby.

“He is close … what can I say? He is a wonderful boy. It is not the easiest thing when a player works really hard and then he is not involved, so of course you want to give the player something back.

“It is not always possible, but as soon as it is possible, I will pay him back [for his good attitude].”

You’d have to assume that an EFL Cup game verses Derby, especially in between key Premier League games, seems as good an opportunity as any…

Ings is an excellent finisher and works tirelessly too; it’s just the quality of the other forwards which has kept him absent so far. If he does get a start and does well, it’ll be interesting to see what Klopp does next weekend – as he’s so far shown a preference to have just one striker on the bench in Premier League fixtures.